Nafplio: The Most Enchanting Town in the Peloponnese, Greece

After saying a fond farewell to G’s Greek twin brother in Katakolo, G and I whizzed back to Athens in our trusty little rental car…as we had 5 hours to do the trip we decided to have a pitstop along the way in the most enchanting town in the Peloponnese, Nafplio.

When I told N’s wife that I wanted to stop off in Nafplio…this was met with a huge smile and that it was one of her favourite spots in the whole of Greece…which I definitely concur with after our visit…was Santorini pretty, yes…did I love it, I could take it or leave it…ask all these questions again in relation to Nafplio and the answer is a resounding yes!

Nafplio was once the capital of Greece many many years ago; the colourful mansions are now slightly faded but are still rather charming.

With only an hour to spend in Nafplio, G and I just wandered along the seafront…

…enjoying the stunning coastline views…

…G tried to work out which boat he wanted to own…me pointing out the smallest one in the harbour (my new favourite word is frugal)…

…so much so that I told G that I wanted to return to stay for a few nights.

And you know…I found a few doors as well…

…just a few…

…seriously good door porn in Nafplio!

Like most Greek towns and cities, there are a number of little spots to stop to grab a coffee that will put hairs on your chest (hence why I drink tea!)…

…or to photograph as they are just so darn…

…cheerful!

We stumbled upon a rather staunch Greek security guard who wouldn’t let us enter, the Greek security guard had sharper claws than this Kiwi…

…so G found another shop to buy another three freaking bracelets from…<insert eye rolling here>…while I sent a few wooden willy photos to Mummy and Georgie in New Zealand.

I may have accidentally stumbled into a <coughs> shoe shop where all the shoes are made locally, I love supporting local businesses whenever I travel…

…so I bought a pair of tan sandals in a style that I’ve wanted for ages and then another pair which are more for evening wear…you know Greece needs not just one helping hand financially…it needs two hence I bought two pairs of shoes…I’m not that frugal when I enter a shoe shop (I do love both pairs of shoes and have already worn them in the middle of winter, totally getting my moneys worth…and yes I’m justifying my purchases!)….

…G found a belt that he wanted, I’m pretty sure he hasn’t worn it yet…we will be having a few words of buying items and never wearing them shortly.

The reason why I found Nafplio so enchanting is simple – you can just wander…

…finding little alleyways where the Bougainvillea just rambles all over the street…

…and oh the balconies are so pretty…

…do a spot of people watching, the locals are so much fun to watch as they hid from the shade…

…where photographing laundry is totally allowed <yelling Hi, I’m from New Zealand while waving and smiling helps when people start pointing at you while you photograph their clothes!>…

…and that are just a few of the reasons why I would love to return!

There is a rather stunning looking castle on the outskirts of town sitting on a hilltop which is calling my name…as I said, we will return…

..by hook or by crook…I will return to Greece to explore some more as there are so many hidden gems in this country!

And I think I’ve found our hotel which is right in the middle of town…not to be confused with the Hotel Grande Bretagne in Athens.

Travel Tips for Nafplio, Greece

You can visit Nafplio from Athens or Kalamata (British Airways flies into both destinations from London now) – this would be a perfect day trip from either destination however it does get busy in Nafplio during the summer months with folks from Athens.

We found it easy to park down by the waterfront and then walk around the shady streets mid afternoon.

An hour in Nafplio doesn’t do it justice so make sure you spend a few hours exploring if you are doing a day trip

The Sandal Workshop in Nafplio makes really good quality and comfortable leather sandals (they also have a shop in Santorini) and they are all reasonably priced.

Make sure your battery for your camera is charged as Nafplio is really beautiful and you will take a million and one photos.

I would recommend flat comfortable shoes as things can be a bit slippery underfoot especially when it’s very hot.

We didn’t stay at this property however the Hotel Grande Bretagne has a great location if you are looking for accommodation in Nafplio.

Awww thanks Sian! Exactly – it was definitely the real Greece and why I loved it so much more than Santorini. Am glad I’ve “seen” Oia in Santorini but Nafplio is the place I would revisit again as it’s so authentic xx